Surrendering Series Box Set

“You don’t have to talk to me, that’s fine. Give me the silent treatment. Get it out of your system. But when you leave this hospital, you will be moving in with us, and you will be going to counseling. If you can’t comply with that, then I will be very happy to tell the hospital that you can’t be responsible for yourself and need to be admitted to a treatment facility. Trust me, that place probably isn’t going to have food cooked by Sloane Harris every night.” At the mention of Sloane’s name, Ryder startled, just a microscopic amount.

“I am going to get some coffee, and I will be back.” Lucah left the room and I followed him.

“What’s going on?” Tate said, looking worried. Lucah explained the situation as Sloane came back with coffee for everyone.

“Are you sure you’re up for that? It’s going to be like having a full-grown toddler in your house. I would say he could come and live with us, but I think that might make things worse, and I don’t know about having him with the girls.” I could understand that, absolutely. Which was why letting him stay with us was really the only option, and the best option.

“We’re up for it, aren’t we, Sunshine?” Lucah slung his arm around me. “We probably won’t even notice he’s there.” That was the biggest lie I’d ever heard, but I didn’t call him out on it because I wanted to believe it.

“He could stay with me,” Sloane said, looking at the coffee cup in her hand.

I had the urge to scream, NO, but Lucah cut in for me.

“He’s my brother. My responsibility—” He was then cut off by Ryder standing in the doorway of his room, hanging onto his IV pole.

“I’m not anyone’s fucking responsibility, and I’m sick of you talking about me out here. So if you’re going to do it, go somewhere else.” He turned around and I hid my eyes because his gown was tied in the back, but not very well. There was a lot of exposure.

We all stood there silently after Ryder called us out.

“On that note, I think we’re going to head home,” April said. “We’ll talk about . . . everything at some other time.” There was more hugging and then they left.

“I also think I’m going to head home. I have a lot of laundry to do. Keep me updated.” More hugs for Sloane and then it was Lucah and me and a surly Ryder.

“I’m thinking maybe we should both spend the night at home. Give him some space. The nurses are watching him and the doctor is always on call.” Ryder had to meet with a psychiatrist and would have to continue doing so for a little while to make sure that he wasn’t harming himself further. They were also changing his medication.

“I think that would be a good idea. He’s kind of been in a fishbowl lately.” We both spoke in low voices so Ryder couldn’t overhear.

“True. I’ll go tell him we’re leaving. Why don’t you stay out here?” I nodded and he went to say goodnight to Ryder. Only a few minutes later he was closing the door and shaking his head.

“This is going to be interesting.”

~*~*~

The realization that Ryder was going to be moving in with us the next day hit both of us as soon as we got back. We had a bed in the spare room, but we hadn’t really decorated it or anything. Plus we were going to have to feed him, and . . .

“I can see you starting to panic,” Lucah said as he got out some sheets for the bed while I made sure the drawers in the room were empty.

“I’m not panicking. I’m just . . . ” I didn’t know what I was. I’d never lived with another boy before. Lucah had been the first, and obviously it was different than living with Ryder. I barely knew him.

“It’s going to be an adjustment, but I’ll deal.” I gave him what I hoped was a confident smile and went to check the refrigerator to make sure there was actually food in it. It was well-stocked, and I couldn’t remember it being that way when we left. Just as I was about to go back down the hall and thank the refrigerator fairy (otherwise known as Sloane), there was a knock at the door.

I didn’t think it was her at first because she almost never knocked, but it was.

“Wow, this is new. The knocking and everything,” I said as I let her in. She had a box full of . . . stuff.

“What’s this?”

“Just some things for Ryder. I know he doesn’t have a lot of stuff, so I went out and got some shaving cream, and shampoo and I brought him some clothes I had kicking around.” She always had clothes “kicking around” at the most convenient of times.

“You really didn’t have to do this,” I said as she proceeded to take the box into the guest room and surprise Lucah.

“I know, but I wanted to. So there. Take it or leave it.” Lucah didn’t say a word as she started folding shirts and putting them in the drawers.

“Speaking of Ryder’s stuff, are you going to go over and get it from wherever he was crashing? Has he told you where he was?” I asked Lucah as Sloane flitted around the room, putting everything in order.

Lucah and I stood back and watched. It was like one of those home makeover shows, only it was happening in our apartment.

“Um, he just had a duffel full of his stuff and someone dropped it off at the hospital for him, minus his cash of course, and I guess that’s all he had. So he can just bring it when he comes tomorrow.”